Clothes-pounder.



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ED ST ADAM SCHOTT, Oli` OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CLGTHES-PUNDER.

T all whom t may concern:

lle it known that l, ADAM Sono'r'r, a citt zen of the United States,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented certain new and useful improvements in Clotheslnounders;and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to maire and use the same. y

This invention relates to washing machinos of the pounder or plungertype; and the object of the same is to produce a very simple clothespounder made by preference entirely of sheet metal excepting the woodenhandle, and by means of which the finest and most fragile fabric can bethoroughly cleansed in a few minutes time without rubbing and withoutthe use of a wash board. This and other objects are carried out byconstructing the machine in the manner hereinafter more fully describedand claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein- Figure l is a sideelevation of this device complete. Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticalsection through the head or lower end of the pounder constituting thewashing' machine, and Figs. 3 and l are cross sections on the lines 3-3and f--l of Fig. 2 respectively. Referring now more particularly to theattached drawings, the casing or body l of this machine is an uprightcylindrical meinber or shell from whose upper end rises a domeorcone-shaped top 2 pierced at one side with an opening 3 closed by ascrew cap d through which soap may be fed into the machine when the capis removed. The body is by preference cylindrical, and disposedconcentrically within it is the inner shell 5 which is also bypreference a. cylindrical member shorter and of less diameter than theouter cylinders. rlhe upper end of the inner shell is closed by ahorizontal partition 6 which is extended out to the angle 7 between thebody l and top 2 and perforated as at 8 above the annular space 9between the outer and inner members. Secured as by soldering upon thepartition 6 at its center 10 is an upright tube 11 which passes throughthe apex of the cone 2 and is secured as by soldering at the point 12,and extends a little above said apex in a ferrule 13; and the woodenhandle le is inserted through this ferrule and down the tube until itrests upon the partition 6, being se- Speclcation of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1912.

Patented J une l, 191 4l. serial No. 737,064..

cured therein by any suitable means such as a split pin la. Around saidtube is an annular space of triangular cross .section into which accessis had through the opening 3 when the cap d is removed, and this spacecommunicates through the perforations 8 with the annular space 9 betweenthe two cylinders, and also communicates through a number of ratherlarge openings l5 with the interior space 1G within the inner shell 5.

The lower end of the inner shell is cut off ou a line l? somewhat abovethe lower end 1S of the outer shell or body l, and across said lower endof the inner shell are perforated straps 19 whose ends are extendedoutward and downward as at 20 and connected with the lower end or mouthof the outer shell or body l, there being several. of these strapssuitably secured where they cross each other and where they cross thelower ends of the two shells and their functionobviously being to giverigidity to the shells and to hold them properly spaced so as tomaintain the parts in proper relative position.

rlhe operation of this machine is as follows: rlhe clothing to be washedis placed in a tub and covered with water, and a little soap, preferablyin the form of lump, is passed through the opening 3 and the screw capput tightly in place. rlhe handle 14 being now inserted into the socketand fastened therein as by means of the split pin 1.4L', the operatorgrasps this handle and puts the head of this device into the tub, andthen by reciprocating the handle vertically the clothing is washed bythe pounding action of the plunger as it is brought down upon it. ln thedescent of the device the large open mout-h. l? of the inner shell admits a considerable volume of water which, drives the air above itupward through the openings 15, then radially outward, and thencedownward through the perforations 8 into the annular space 9 and out thelower end 18 of the outer shell so that it is ejected downward onto theclothes by the very act of pounding them with this machine. This air issaturated with water, and in its passage through the course outlined,the water takes up the soap which is in lumps and agitates it within theconical top 2, and therefore soapy spray is driven downward through. theperforations 8 and the space 9 and onto the clothes. @n a reversemovement due to the upward motion of the device, the volume of waterwithin the interior 1G of the inner shell moves downward and thereforecreates a partial vacuum within t-he top 2, with the result that the airwithin the annular space 9 is drawn upward more rapidly than the deviceis ascending and a certain amount of suction is created above theclothing. The result will be that the soapy water is sprayed onto theclothes at the very time that they are pounded by the machine, and isagain sucked upward through and from the clothesI at the very time thatpressure thereon is removed by the elevation of the device; and I havefound by experiment that the most delicate and fragile fabrics can bewashed by this machine in a short period of time and with a few verticalreciprocations of the instrument.

As above suggested, the parts are by preference entirely of sheet metalor other metal suitably treated to prevent rusting, and the connectionsare made by soldering or brazing excepting that the cap l should screwonto a nipple surrounding the opening 3. l do not wish to limit myselfto the eXactmeans suggested for fastening the handle in place, and infact such handle might be a permanent part of the device instead ofbeing of wood and removable.

Vhat is claimed as new is:

The herein described clothes pounder comprising an outer cylindricalbody, a conical top closing the upper end. thereof, a horizontalpartition across the body on a line with its juncture with said top, thepartition having perforations around its edge and larger openings nearits center, an upright handle-tube fixedly mounted on said top, an innershell concentric with and shorter than the cylindrical body and securedat its upper end to said partition inside the perforations through thelatter so as to leave an annular space between the body and shell whichis of less volume than the inner shell and crossing straps of perforatedmetal forming the bottom of the body and located a suitable distancefrom the lower edge thereof, said straps being uniformly separated7whereby a suction chamber is formed below the bottom thus formed.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ADAM SCHGTT. Witnesses J. lV. Coon, R. H. BAUGHMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

